#QPR crativitwinxiety

[anxiouslyfred]

Merged Names

for @aro-sides-week prompt of queerplatonic

Summary: Their group of friends mixed their names together to make friendship names when they were young and Remus was happy with that. Now their friends are partnering off and putting relationships above their friendship and he reconsidering Virgil’s suggestion of a QPR.

Relationships: QPR Remus& Virgil& Roman, Background Thomceit and Logicality

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It started as children, with one of those memory book things full of games to play together. The twins had gotten it as a treat for not causing chaos in the bookshop. It mentioned creating a friendship in the first few pages so of course everyone they were friends with was trying to make ones which sounded good. The ones Remus could remember still, mostly because they all still got used occasionally were things like: Romus, Thoman, Logton, Logil, Jangil and so many more. Just with 7 friends it feels like there are limitless combinations of names.

They hadn't known about ship names, or perhaps it hadn't been a things back then,  so nobody thought for a second that this could seem romantic. Roman even came up with an absurd conglomeration of names meant to be the friendship name for the entire group. He made certificates even, declaring nothing would ever be more important that the friendship of PatJanRoMusMasGilAn.

Even after the discovery of shipping and name mixing to indicate romance, none of them ever really gave up their friendship names. When Patton and Logan started dating they even went so far as to find a new name to be their ship name, Logicality. It took longer to explain how they reached that name than it did for anyone to accept they were dating now.

The names were also what lead to Remus discovering the term aromantic. He described learning it on a trip down and LGBT-tastic internet black hole but what had started that was wondering if there were specific ship names for friendships or brotherly relationships. He'd just wanted to see what his group of friends did done by others or for fictional characters. Remus had immediately added it to the list of labels he threw out when nosy fools refused to accept queer as his identity, all true to varying degree but somehow aro felt the most right.

Virgil was the one who frowned upon hearing different labels whenever someone new and eventually asked, “So which of your many identities is most important to you?”

Hearing the question meant the world. Of course Roman knew, regular messages about their projects meant he picked up on the flag which appeared most often in Remus's creations, but knowing someone cared enough to honestly ask. Remus beamed, “Aro. MY archery really has been improving. It's fantastic for harvesting orchards.”

“Cool, so you don't want romance at all, what about a QPR?” Virgil snorted at the joke, but carried on asking his question.

Remus shrugged, gesturing broadly to the room they were waiting for the rest of their friend to arrive for a game night in, “Meh, I've got the Patjanromusmasgilan's still. It's enough for me.”

And it was, while only Logicality were an official romance and had never treated friendship as less important, Remus was fine with his big friendship septagon.

Then Thomceit became a thing and even if Thomas still treated their friends the same, Janus was keeping more time for dates than he had in previous relationships. It made Remus wish the certificates Roman had made were legally binding.

Even worse was that Logan assumed Janus was demonstrating the true 'right way' to be dating and also started arranging more dates and less friendship gatherings after that. Both couples starting to prefer dates over the group activities Roman and Remus suggested.

It came to a head on a movie night. Everyone had been invited, had said they were coming. Thomas had called and said Janus had arranged a surprise date so they wouldn't make it. That had been fine, Roman, Remus and Virgil just started the first movie while waiting for Patton and Logan to arrive.

Then Logan text saying a film Patton had been excited about was back in cinemas so that was where they were going instead of coming to their evening, and perhaps they could do something as friends next week.

“I was wrong Virge!” Remus whined a few minutes after the message was received.

“About creatures rising from the deep to kill everyone being the end of La La Land? Yeah, I agree.” Virgil nodded, snickering but turning to face him, too used to Remus to believe the sentence to connect to what was their focus in the moment.

“Nooo,” Remus carried on whining, draping himself over Roman's lap to actually look at Virgil, not directing his question at his brother but keeping him included in the situation, “Can this be a QPR? Can we promise to keep putting each other as a priority even if you get a romance?” He didn't care that people spoke about QPR's similarly to romantic relationships and some would be squicked out to hear of one between siblings, but didn't want to face rejection if Roman was like that and he hadn't realised.

Before Virgil could reply however, Roman's hand was in his hair, tugging it back so they could have eye contact, “Can I be included in this?”

“Sure! I just won't make sexual or fake flirtatious comments to you, same as ever. What do ya say, Ender-Virge?” He easily agreed, one hand coming to shake the hand Roman had free as if a deal was struck before turning back to Virgil.

“Wouldn't have suggested it originally if I didn't want that.” Virgil muttered, a small smile forming as he nodded. “Hell, if you want the tax benefits we could even get the paperwork done in a registry office at some point.” He snickered, remembering that had been the only reason Remus had ever understood for anyone to get married.

Remus scrunched his face up, backing off to be leaning more against Roman and less in view at the suggestion.

“Revirgeman? Brogil? Do we need a name mix just for the three of us now? Romusgil? Rogilmus?” Roman's musing got laughter washing the distaste from Remus's face before he could react to the allusion of marriage with retching.

“Can we just say we're stuck like glue instead?” Virgil offered, shaking his head and shoving lightly at Roman's shoulder for the mangled names.

Of course Remus immediately jumped up, turning to head out of the room, “I can actually glue us together! That'd help!”

“NO!” came the simultaneous yell as he got tackled from both sides, leaving them in a tangled heap of a tight hug as La La Land carried on playing in the background.